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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27074692">Let's Revel in Being Alive</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katlyn1948/pseuds/Katlyn1948'>Katlyn1948</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>After The Long Night [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Game of Thrones (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Barely any smut, Canon Divergence, F/M, Post Season Eight Episode Three, The Long Night</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-09 01:09:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,740</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27074692</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katlyn1948/pseuds/Katlyn1948</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Arya and Gendry survive the long night</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Arya Stark/Gendry Waters</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>After The Long Night [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1981213</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>94</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Let's Revel in Being Alive</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So I rewatched The Long Night and I had to write this. Think of it as a 'what should have happened if D&amp;D took the ten episode order that HBO had given them and could have given us more Gendrya content' AKA a missing scene. I think I might add one more part to it...IDK...but I had so much fun writing just this much, so we will see. </p><p>anyway, enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The charred remains of what used to be Winterfell fizzled as dying embers were snuffed by the rising cold. Daylight had broken, and one could begin to take in the damage The Long Night had done. Hundreds of bodies laid across the battlements, and hundreds more within the walls of Winterfell. Wherever one turned there was a body that needed to be burned. No man, woman, or child was sparred; not when the dead had risen.</p><p> </p><p>But as saddening as it was, a certain blacksmith hadn’t paid much attention to the bodies surrounding him, his thoughts were elsewhere; to living that had survived because surely she would be among them. He thought it impossible for her to perish; he wasn’t a fighter, yet he survived, so she must have survived with her grit and spirit. There was no way the dead would take Arya Stark.</p><p> </p><p>He stumbled through the entryway of The Great Hall, a stronghold that managed to survive the attack, and was greeted by a multitude of injured people. The maester, along with healers and ordinary wet nurses scurried about, treating those that would make it and making those that would perish comfortable for their demise.</p><p> </p><p>Gendry scanned his blue eyes across the languished bodies, only to sigh a breath of relief when he saw her sitting in the corner of the hall. Her head was bleeding and there was a cut just above her right thigh. She was injured, but alive and that’s all that mattered.</p><p> </p><p>He should’ve have paused his advances, he was sure she would want to be accompanied by her family that was surrounding her, but his feet were moving on their own accord. It took all of three large strides to reach where she was huddled, with her sister and older brother bickering about what treatment would be the best for their injured sister.</p><p> </p><p>She looked annoyed but let the pudgy healer at her side tend to her wounds. It was only when she noticed Gendry hovering behind Jon did she lift from her chair. Her head was spinning, but that did little to stop herself from throwing her arms around his large frame, letting him swoop her up into his waiting embrace.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re alive.” The relief was evident in her voice at the sudden revelation. She hadn’t let herself think of the other possibility, the pain to unbearable to grasp.</p><p> </p><p>“And so are you.” He whispered in return. She was safe, in his arms, where no one or thing could touch her. Little concern entered his mind as he realized that there were wondering eyes in their direction. He hadn’t the care to think about what the consequences could be with this blatant show of affection. Surely he would be flogged for all to see for so much as laying a hand on The King in the North’s youngest sister, but he would take a thousand whippings if it meant she was safe.</p><p> </p><p>“Ahem.” The clearing of a throat pulled them apart and Arya quickly slipped from Gendry’s embrace. Their gaze fell upon the King in the North as he looked between the pair, a million questions forming in his dark grey irises.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t.” Arya interpreted before he had a chance to say anything. “Your questions will be answered, but not tonight.”</p><p> </p><p>She took a hold of Gendry’s hand, grasping it firmly in her own and pulling him through the battered hallways of her childhood home. The bodies had been cleared, but the remnants of what the dead left behind were visible on each wall as they passed through tumbling corridors.</p><p> </p><p>The dead dragon had taken nearly half of Winterfell, but the wing where the chambers were housed had remained untouched.</p><p> </p><p>Gendry had never imagined entering Arya’s chambers; he had expected something grand and extravagant, but to his surprise there was only a four-poster bed, a small round table meant for no more than two participants, an escritoire, and a fireplace. There was a chest at the foot of her bed, which housed her jerkins, breeches, and to no one’s knowledge but her own, a few faces she had snatched from house of Black and White.</p><p> </p><p>In the center of her chambers stood a large brass tub filled with steaming water and fresh scents. The maids that survived the attacks must’ve filled each chamber with a tub for which ever occupant was lucky enough to find one.</p><p> </p><p>Arya began to shed her clothes. They clung to her body like a second skin, the blood of the dead coating every inch. She winced as she tugged off her breeches, the fabric nicking at her wound. Gendry had to steady her before she stumbled onto the floor.</p><p> </p><p>He watched as she stood bare and climbed into the tub, sinking beneath the water’s surface. A few seconds passed before she pierced the air, her face divulged of the grime it once had. “Are you going to join me or are you planning to gawk the whole night?”</p><p> </p><p>Gendry began to tug at his own clothes, finding it difficult to tug them off. He hadn’t noticed how sore his body actually was until the adrenaline of the night had finally ceased. His arms felt like mud and his back was aching, no doubt from where a wight had tried to bite him. He had a rather nasty cut on his bicep that would need a few stiches, and a bruise was beginning to form on his left cheek.</p><p> </p><p>He had seen better days, but knowing that he had survived, he made a note not to complain.</p><p> </p><p>Slowly, he left the warm water waft around his aching bones as he lowered himself into the tub. He sat across from Arya, tangling his legs with hers, letting the sweet aroma of lavender and vanilla relax him. If it weren’t for Arya’s piercing grey eyes, he would have fallen into slumber, but he found himself awake and alert, hypnotized by her gaze.</p><p> </p><p>“What are you thinking about?” He asked after a time of silence has passed between them. They had taken their time washing away the reminder of The Long Night, wallowing in the tub of water which had now started to cool.</p><p> </p><p>Arya lifted her uninjured leg from the water, letting the droplets fall down her slick skin before resting it upon Gendry’s shoulder. “I’m thinking about all the bodies we have to burn. The pyres will smoke for days.”</p><p> </p><p>He brought his hands to rest leg, letting the callouses on his fingers brush along her wet skin, stopping just at the crease of her knee. He squeezed her calf then, letting his palms kneed the tight muscles of her leg as he traveled down to the small of her foot.</p><p>“And?” he urged as he continued to massage her leg. There was more to what she was willing to share; more than damned pyres or bodies to burn.</p><p> </p><p>“And…” a soft moan escaped from Arya’s lips as she took in the feeling. His light touches, with slight nuances of pressure did wonders to her aching leg and it took everything in her not to cascade into sweet slumber. “I’m thinking about all the questions we will have to answer. Jon and Sansa will want to know what…this is.”</p><p> </p><p>She pulled her leg away slightly, just enough to let Gendry’s hands fall back into the water.</p><p> </p><p>He sighed as he lifted himself from the tub, grabbing a terry cloth to cover himself as he did so.</p><p> </p><p>“What is this, then?” He had made his way to the fireplace, taking one of the chairs from the round table and sitting squarely in front of the flames to let the excess water dry from his body. “What do we tell your family?”</p><p> </p><p>Arya remained in the tub, curling her legs underneath her before resting her chin on her exposed knees. “You’re not going to get gelded, if that’s what you’re worried about.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m being serious, Arry.” Gendry groaned. “Your brother and sister have questions. They know something happened, and you did little to quench their suspicions when you brought me to your chambers.”</p><p> </p><p>Arya sighed in annoyance as she lifted herself from the tub, completely forgoing the terry cloth. Drops of water dripped down her bruised body as she went to straddle Gendry’s hips. She curled her arms around his neck and pecked his lips with a light kiss. “Let them have their suspicions. I am woman grown and they have no reign over whom I spend my time with.”</p><p> </p><p>“And what if they make you marry me?” He challenged.</p><p> </p><p>Arya scoffed, “My siblings cannot make me do anything.”</p><p> </p><p>“But, Arry-”</p><p> </p><p>“I do not wish to think about what tomorrow could bring. We survived the dead, Gendry, let’s revel in that tonight.” She stole his lips, quashing any protests he may have voiced. Her tongue dipped into his parted lips, taking in the taste of salt upon his own frenzied tongue.</p><p> </p><p>The terry cloth that had remained on Gendry’s hips slipped from between their bodies, causing the friction from their pyretic movements to explode a sweet sensation through their wanting beings.</p><p> </p><p>Gendry’s member had erected, and Arya’s thrust only edged him further along before he easily slipped in betwixt her aching legs. Their movements were frantic as the feelings of loss had begun to resurface. Every ounce of fear that had erupted through Gendry’s body as he remembered looking for Arya weaved into the way he was taking her.</p><p> </p><p>And the sense of relief Arya had felt when she saw Gendry standing in the entry way of the great hall seeped it’s way into her bones as she received him.</p><p>Their thoughts and feelings were exposed by the grunts and moans of the coupling as they had one another upon the chair in front of the fireplace. The heat of the flames licked at their skin, melting away the cold the dead had left behind.</p><p> </p><p>Surely there would be consequences of their coupling, Gendry knew this, but he was heeding Arya’s advice and reveling in their victory. Reveling in the fact that they did survive.</p><p> </p><p>When they both had cascaded into bliss, taking time to ascend from their descent, did they move to the bed. Their bodies worn from what The Long Night had brought, did they tangle their limbs and hope to fall into a dreamless slumber.</p><p>The Long Night had ended, but even longer days were ahead.</p>
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